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Stereotype Threat at Work (The Context: Is this a Place Where Stereotypes …
Stereotype Threat at Work
the fear of being judged according to a
negative stereotype
can help managers create positive environments for diverse employees
stereotype threat usually report the results of experimental studies and
are targeted to an academic audience
“managing diversity”
become a sought-after
managerial skill, and concerns about effective diversity
management have spawned an industry of
diversity training programs, diversity videos, and
diversity consultants
Most of the attention in the diversity management
literature has been focused on the organizational
decision maker—the manager who is prejudiced
against certain groups and who allows
these prejudices to influence how he or she treats
employees
Stereotype threat describes the psychological
experience of a person who, while engaged in a
task, is aware of a stereotype about his or her
identity group suggesting that he or she will not
perform well on that task
examples
It shown that stereotype threat has a negative
impact on short term performance
Conditions for Stereotype Threat
Stereotype threat will only occur
for those tasks associated with the stereotype
two additional
conditions needed for stereotype threat to emerge
task difficulty
personal task investment
the context can influence the perceived
relevance of the stereotype for performance of the
task or job.
Stereotype Relevance of the Task: What Does it
Take to Perform Well?
The stereotype threat process
the stereotype comes to mind
search for explanation of difficulty
personally invested employee faces a difficult, stereotype relevant task
context reinforces stereotype
employee performs task, but performance is disrupted by stereotype threat
supervisors and coworkers assume that performance accurately reflects employee ability
employee becomes frustrated and demotivated
Task Difficulty:Whyis this so Hard?
the limits of a person’s abilities
Personal Task Investment:HowImportant is this
toWhoIAm?
Personal task investment refers to how important
doing well on the task is to the individual’s selfesteem and identity
The Context: Is this a Place Where Stereotypes
Operate?
the most important condition for
stereotype threat is stereotype relevance: stereotype
threat only occurs when the stereotype seems
relevant to performing the task
group representation can raise the relevance
of the stereotype for performance
Three conditions make stereotype
threat more likely for members of negatively stereotyped
groups
A difficult, stereotype relevant task, where
The context reinforces the stereotype
The employee is invested in doing well, on
Interrupting the Stereotype Threat Process
Strategies for Reducing Stereotype Threat
stereotyped people may find
one way to reduce stereotype threat themselves—
by disidentifying with the affected task
domain
strategies
Provide an Alternative Explanation for Task
Difficulty
Reduce the Stereotype Relevance of the Task
Change the Context
Implications for Diversity Management
Two principles that are currently downplayed in most diversity
management efforts
Acknowledge stereotypes and address them
directly
Shift the focus from the manager to the environment